Improvement in steam pumping-engines



L. 1. KNowLEs. \mprovementfn Steam Patented May 2,1871.

Pumping Engines.

UNITED STATES PATENT'OFFIGE.

LUCIUS J. KNOWLES, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM PUMPING-ENGlNES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 114,506, dated May 2, 1871. I

To all whom it may concern:

Bc it known that I, LUorUs J. KNoWLEs, of the city and county of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam Pumping- En gines, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference b ein g had tothe accompanying drawing, which represents a central vertical section through the steam-cylinder and valve-boxes.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention belongs to make and use the same, I will proceed to describe it more in detail.

The nature of my invention consists in the combination, with the valve-drivilig piston, of avalve-rod and tappets, as hereinafter described.

In the drawing, the part marked A represents the steam-cylinder; B, the piston; C, the piston-rod; I), the tappet-arm; E, the main valve; F, the valve-driving piston; G, the sumalementary valve, and H the suppleinentary valve-rod. I and J indicate the passages from the supplementary valve-cham ber K to the cylinder L ot the valve-driving piston F, and M N indicate the passages from the main valve-chamber I to the steam-cylinder sA. O and Q, indicate the eduction-passages from the main and supplementary valves respectively. l

' I arrange a main valve-rod, It, in the end of the valve-driving piston F, which extends across the machine parallel to and beneath the supplementary valve-rod H. Both valverods pass through openings in the tappet-arm D, and both are provided With adjustable tappet-s S and T, which may be actuated by the tappet-armD when the machine is in operation.

In steam pumping-engines as heretofore constructed the supplementary valve G is operated by the tappet-arm I) and rod H, and regu` lates the iiow of steam into and from the cylinder L of the valve-driving piston F, which piston F operates the main valve that governs the now and exit of steam in the principal steam-cylinder A.

NOW, in case the passages I or J, which are of small size, become choked with Water, and

prevent or retard the ow of steam to the valve-driving piston F, the main valve E will not operate Wit-h the proper dispatch, and the piston B is liable to be driven against the cylinder-head, and thereby do serious damage to the engine.

To obviate this dit'cnlty, I apply the rod R to the valve driving piston and arrange the tappets T upon said rod in such positions that the tappet-arm D will come into contact with one of the tappets T and move the main valve E before the piston B has reached the cylinder-head, and the steam, entering the cylinder in front of the piston, changes the direction of its motion before any dama-ge can be done.

The drawing shows the parts as they would appear when the piston had moved to its utmost extent and the main valve had been opened by the aid of the tappetarln and rod R.

"When the engine is running at ordinary speed and the passages are perfectly clear, the tappet-arm Will not strike the tappets T, because the valve-driving piston F and valve E will be operated by the eect ot' the steam before the arm reaches the tappet T. But when the engine is working very fast, or when first started, the steam is liable to condense in the passa-ges I and J, and thereby prevent the perfect action ot' the main valve; hence the need of some device to insure its operation at all times and under all circumstances. Combining with the valve-driving piston F the rod It and tappets T accomplishes this object in a very ecient and simple manner, and render the Working of the valves positive under all circumstances, a-nd thus insure the perfeet action ofthe engine.

Having described my improvement in steam pumping-engines, what I claim therein as new and of my invention, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with the valvedrivin g piston F and tappct-arm D, of the valverod and tappets T T, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

LUCIUS J. KNOWLES.

Witnesses:

Tiros. H. DODGE, GHAs. H. BURLEIGH. 

